Internet Watch Foundation reports huge rise in AI child sexual abuse material
Source: The Guardian ·
Abuse material monitor says number of AI images assessed this year is already 40% higher than last year’s totalAI-generated child sexual abuse material is proliferating online, with the amount of illegal material investigated this year already exceeding the total for 2025.Analysts at the Internet Watch Foundation have found more photorealistic child sexual abuse material in the first half of…
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AI-generated child sexual abuse material is proliferating online, with the amount of illegal material investigated this year already exceeding the total for 2025. Analysts at the Internet Watch Foundation have found more photorealistic child sexual abuse material in the first half of 2026 than for the whole of the prior year. The UK-based IWF, which monitors abuse material globally, said it had assessed 6,310 AI images that met the legal definition of child sexual abuse, 40% higher than last year’s total of more than 4,500. Instances of AI-made child sexual abuse material have been rising for several years, with a huge surge in videos in particular, although the latest IWF figures refer to still images only. The majority of the images seen by analysts were of girls, and of children aged seven to 13. The IWF said the figures underlined the need for new statutory regulation on AI. Andy Burnham’s government has not signalled that a new bill focused on the technology is imminent.…